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Entering Lazarus Hightower is at best a nuisance because of the fact that the hangar door is at stall level. This means that attempts to enter the hangar result in your Moth stalling. Be ready to make several attempts before entering Lazarus Hightower. Save your game before the attempts.

My approach to entering the Hightower is to get to stall level and line my Moth up with the bottom of the hangar door. I then move slowly to activate the doors and then make a mad dash inside the hangar before I stall. A good Cell (Cell #3 or better) and a fast Moth make this easier, but aren't required.

I've seen a lot of speculation concerning how to enter the Lazarus Hightower on various Hardwar forums. Here are the facts:

You can enter Lazarus Hightower at any point during the game. The screenshots below show that I was able to enter it on Day 2. Check the date on my HUD. I began the attempts late in Day 1. You do not have to wait for a particular point in the game before you enter the Hightower.

Your Cell determines your stall altitude. The better your Cell, the higher you can go before stalling. You can check this out by reading the description for Cells at a component shop. You can enter Lazarus Hightower with a Cell #1, but it's difficult. (The images below took me over a dozen attempts.) I used a Cell #1 in the screenshots below. Check the HUD in the images yourself. It's really pretty easy to enter the Hightower with a Cell #3 or better.

The misconception that you had to wait for a particular point in the game to enter the Hightower probably comes from the fact that you have a better Cell later in the game. There is no reason you cannot enter the Hightower at any time. Fortunately, by the time you need to enter it, you've got a Fusion Cell.

You do not have to have a particular Moth or engine. Again, check the images below and you'll see that I'm flying a Silver-Y with Cell #1 and Engine #1. A faster Moth does make the final quick dash into the hangar easier, but it is not required. I think this rumor began much like the Cell rumor. Most people don't try to enter the Hightower until later in the game when they've got a better Moth and upgraded engine. Those who attempt it earlier with Cell #1 have a harder, but not impossible, task before them.

The image above starts us in the tunnel heading toward Downtown from Gamma. This is the approach generally taken at the end of the plot when returning from Prison Oubliette. Be prepared to make a sharp right turn upon exiting the tunnel.

I've exited the tunnel and made my sharp right turn. Follow the crater wall until you see the column pictured above. The Hightower is on top of it. Notice that you are quite close to the crater wall. The hangar door faces the crater wall. Start gaining altitude and searching for the door.

Go to stall altitude and line up with the door. Once you've done this a time or two, you'll be able to whip right into alignment. What's important now is to keep an eye on your absolute altitude and not go into a stall. Don't sweat it if you stall. Practice makes perfect.

I outfitted my Moth with Flight Software Level 3 so you can see that my Moth is level when aligning with the bottom of the hangar door. I put the top of my targeting reticule at the bottom of the door. Notice that I don't get too close and that I stay level.

I move slowly toward the hangar doors to activate them. Aligning within the "projecting squares" of the door are more important than getting close. Notice how far away I am when the doors are opened.

Now go full throttle toward the hangar bay. Don't reverse thrust until you're about to hit the far inner door. You don't want to "bump" yourself out (and stall), but you don't want to go slow and stall before you enter. You want the stall to begin just as you enter the hangar and push you to the hangar's floor.

Yeeeehaaaaa !! You've made it. This is much easier to do with a top notch Cell. Practicing with a Cell #1 will really hone your docking skills. Note: Auto-Pilot is a big disadvantage when entering the Lazarus Hightower. Have it removed at a Software Shack beforehand.